From 5 to 9 December, Koller, the leading Swiss auction house, will present its 12th auction of Swiss art and many further highlights. After the exceptionally successful auction of Swiss Art in June, which, with a total turnover of CHF 14 million and a record result of CHF 7.3 million for two portraits of children by Albert Anker, proved to be one of the most successful auctions in this sector, on 9 December we have a no less enticing auction of Swiss Art, again with important works by Albert Anker, Ferdinand Hodler, Cuno Amiet, Giovanni Giacometti, Ernest Bièler and Adolf Dietrich.
Albert Anker (1831-1910), Schreibunterricht, 1865. Oil on canvas. 26×34.3 cm. CHF 800 000 / 1 200 000.
The auctions of Modern and Contemporary Art – with René Magritte, Marc Chagall, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Franz Gertsch and Fernando Botero are also well represented. Koller is also keenly anticipating the Furniture Auction on 8 December at which in particular 140 items of fine furniture and decorations from 1750 to 1820 from Zurich’s most important antiques dealer Richard Redding will be offered for sale.
swiss Art – Anker, Amiet, Hodler, Giacometti
At the 12th auction of Swiss Art at Koller Auctions on 9 December, again several important works by Albert Anker will be presented. These include the oil painting «Schreibunterricht» (the writing lesson) circa 1865, which will be offered at CHF 800 000 / 1 200 000, and «Die ältere Schwester» (the elder sister) from 1889, which will be auctioned at an estimate of between CHF 1 500 000 and 2 500 000 . Furthermore, Cuno Amiet’s early work of a vase of flowers circa 1908/09 with an estimate of CHF 170 000 / 220 000 is also in the reckoning. A still life with sculpture from 1929, in which Giovanni Giacometti depicts a bust of his famous son Alberto, will be offered with an estimate of CHF 200 000 / 280 000, and Ferdinand Hodler’s study for «Blick in die Unendlichkeit» (view into infinity) will be offered at CHF 300 000 / 400 000 .
Modern and contemporary Art – Renoir, Magritte, Chagall, Mirò
The lot with the highest estimate at the auction of Modern Art on 9 December at CHF 700 000 / 1 million is Pierre August Renoir’s «Le Repos (Gabrielle)». Having remained for over 70 years in the same private collection, the picture is in pristine condition. It depicts Renoir’s nanny, Gabrielle Renard, who was the painter’s favourite model. Further highlights are René Magritte’s 1940 gouache on paper «La Memoire» with an estimate of CHF 600 000 / 800 000 and two excellent works by Marc Chagall, of which the colourful gouache «L’homme à la chèvre» from 1950 is estimated at a value of between CHF 400 000 and 600 000 and the no less intense watercolour «Nature morte à l’azalée» at CHF 250 000 / 350 000 (3265). For the coloured chalk drawing with ink on Japan paper by Joan Mirò with the title «Tête» from 1975 a sale price of between CHF 150 000 and 250 000 can be expected . Maurice Utrillo’s «La Rue Narvins à Monmartre» from 1936 has been set at CHF 120 000 / 180 000 .
The range of works offered in the Contemporary Art section is extremely varied. From Fernando Botero comes the fourth of a total of six bronzes with the title «Cane» from 1980, estimated at between CHF 320 000 and 420 000 and Jean Dubuffet’s «Champs d’Expansion» has been set at CHF 80 000 / 120 000.
Modern Prints and drawings – Kirchner, Warhol, Gertsch
The well-publicised colour woodcut «Wintermondnacht 1919» (moonlit night in winter) by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is the top lot of the auction of Modern Prints and Drawings on 9 December. It is one of a total of 12 known sheets, of which six are in public collections. The current owner bought the woodcut directly from Kirchner while staying at a spa in Davos. Since then it has remained with the Carlo von Wedekind family. This is an extremely rare piece which will made available to the market through Koller Auctions at an estimate of CHF 500 000 / 700 000 . The Swiss auction house will also offer the colour silk screen by Andy Warhol «Mao», listed in the Feldmann/Schellmann catalogue raisonné under number 94, at CHF 45 000 / 65 000). Finally Franz Gertsch, a great contemporary Swiss artist, can be found amongst the modern prints and drawings. His wood cut «Schwarzwasser in Blau (Nr. 18/20)», (blackwater in blue) which was made for the SchleswigHolstein art society in Kiel, has been set an estimate of CHF 25 000 / 35 000.
Furniture and decorations
Koller will offer at auction the «Richard Redding Collection». Richard Redding, Zurich’s most important antiques dealer, is leaving his shop on the Strehlgase 9 after a period of 25 years, and will be act henceforth as consultant to his international clients. The group of around 140 exquisite objects from his colection dating from 1750 to 1820 will be offered for sale at Koller Zurich and will have its own dedicated catalogue. The catalogue, produced in collaboration with the most important Empire and bronze connoisseur worldwide, Dominique Augarde, stands as a work of reference. Thus, through archival evidence and as yet unpublished designs, new and hitherto unknown bronze makers and artists have been identified.
Amongst the highlights of this top furniture event of the year are an important Bureau-Plat «à fleurs» by the Paris master M.E. L’hermite, with an estimate of CHF 220 000 / 360 000 and the museum-quality cartel clock «Diane Chasseresse» by J.J. de Saint Gérmain, with an estimate of CHF 180 000 / 280 000 . In addition we have an important pair of consoles «aux cariatides» by F.H.G. Jacob-Desmalter from the collection of the Comte de Castella at the Château de Wallenried with an estimate of CHF 150 000 / 250 000 and a highly important five-part table decoration «aux amours et paons», of the Empire period, made by C. GALLE in Paris circa 1812, at CHF 100 000 to 150 000 .
A highlight of the regular furniture auction is a grand Louis XIV cabinet from Paris with Boulle marquetry, known as a «bibliothèque en armoire» by N. Sageot, circa 1715/20, with an estimate of CHF 200 000 / 300 000 . Also, a small Potsdam Bureau-Plat circa 1750 from a German private collection, which was bought at Maastricht in 2002 and exemplary of its type, is valued at CHF 50 000 to 80 000 and is considered one of the highlights of the furniture auction . Equally, the early Baroque wool and silk embroidery depicting the «Gleichnisses von den klugen und den törichten Jungfrauen» (allegory of the intelligent and foolish young women), which was made to commemorate the birth of the daughter of a nobleman Elisabeth Escher vom Luchs in Zurich in 1622, will be offered for sale with an estimate of CHF 50 000 / 90 000 .
Jewelry and Wristwatches
Koller, which for around ten years has continually provided high quality jewellery auctions, will yet again on 6 December 2011 offer some outstanding items for sale. A loose diamond of 5.4 carats stands out in particular. This top piece, with an estimate of CHF 150 000 / 200 000 has one of the highest estimates of the auction . There are some particularly rare items amongst the numerous old and antique works on offer. These include a select diamond necklace (46 stones), circa 1950, to be auctioned at CHF 150 000 / 200 000 . An enamel and diamond bracelet, made circa 1870, will be offered with an estimate of CHF 8 000 / 12 000. An emerald ring, made circa 1950, will be auctioned with an estimate of CHF 50 000 / 80 000. Furthermore, from the highly traditional London jeweller Garrard comes a Madagascar sapphire and diamond ring with an estimate of CHF 15 000 / 20 000.
tribal Art
The African Art auctions carried out in collaboration with Galerie Walu are enjoying increasing popularity. The top lots with outstanding European provenances are this time from West and Central Africa.
A grandiose figure of Songye from present day Congo for example was once part of the Klaus Clausmeyer collection, now at the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum in Cologne. This is an especially impressive and complete exemplar of a Minkisi Magic Figure. The estimate for this unique piece stands at CHF 50 000 / 70 000.
From the workshop of the Nigerian Yoruba master Arogun in Osi Ilorin (1880-1954) comes a further top lot at auction: this is a wing of a door, measuring around 2 meters and decorated with 24 mythological birds. Arogun made doors for kings, chieftains and notables. The door wing offered at Koller will be auctioned with an estimate of CHF 14 000 / 18 000. Also at auction comes the entire Africa collection from the estate of Dr. Hans Baumann of Bern. This includes a highly important ivory Benin figure, a top item on the international market. This published museum piece will be offered at auction at CHF 50 000 / 70 000. The delicate, courtly work in ivory depicts a royal dignitary and stood presumably on a palace altar.
